10 percent reservation in polytechincs for Indians in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur: Indian students will be given 10 percent of the 92,000 places in polytechnics nationwide in stages, said Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Indians make up 3.8 percent or 3,547 of total enrolment now.

The premier said that meritocracy, eligibility and competitiveness are aspects that need to be considered in allowing students to pursue higher education, but the country must uphold social justice by allowing students, particularly those from poor households, who do not meet the entry requirements to be offered a place, reports The Star.

Najib said many students who lived in estates were unable to pursue their higher education due to poverty and lack of access to quality education. He said from this year onwards, the government would reserve 1,600 places for Indian youths to pursue pre-diploma courses at 20 polytechnics nationwide, adding that they would also be given an allowance of RM 250 every month.

Najib said he has approved an allocation of RM 2 million for the programme.